Kissing a Cockroach
by Fred-Weasley-Isn't-Dead
Summary: Hermione's trip on the Hogwarts Express for her second year of learning was one she would never forget.


Hermione sat quietly, her legs pulled up into a ball and her bushy hair drawn back into a pony-tail so as not to get in the way of her reading. The train's horn yelled out, giving her a slight jump. She sighed, put a piece of scrap paper in her book and made her way to the door, which she'd locked with a spell she got out of Standard Book of Spells: Grade Four. She'd 'borrowed' Fred's spell book a while back because of her thirst for knowledge. Fred was quite surprised that the little bookworm Hermione Granger managed to steal something of his without him noticing. Then again, it was a book and Fred and his twin never did seem to get around to opening them.

"Alohamora," she whispered, cracking the door open while she stowed her wand down the side of her boot. Then she slid the door to get a better view of the hallway. Where were they? She sighed again and returned to her cooling seat, opening the window to get a refreshing breeze.

"Oh, look!" A cold, evil tone called from the door way. Damn. She'd forgotten to lock the door. "Potty and the Weasel have left their Mudblood unprotected."

Hermione glanced up to meet his cold, pale eyes. "What do you want, Malfoy?" She asked in a bored tone.

Draco looked around the nearly empty cabin and nodded to his flunkies, Crabbe and Goyle. "This'll do just nicely." He plunked down on the seat next to Hermione and stretched his legs out on the opposite seat. The flunkies took the opposing seats, eying Hermione with disdain.

They twelve year old witch stood up and attempted to make her way out of the cabin, but Draco pulled up a foot so that her stomach collided with it and relocked the door. Then, with the speed of a jaguar, her reached inside her boot and captured her wand.

"You're not the only one who reads ahead." He smirked.

"Give me back my wand," Hermione seethed, her face turning as red as the trademark Weasley hair.

"Or what Granger?" Malfoy sneered, "Not much you could do to use without your wand."

"I could kick you where it hurts." She smiled sweetly. She refused to use that word. It grossed her out too much.

Draco pulled a face but quickly composed himself. He knew she didn't have the guts and if she did, he had his flunkies and her wand, a good bargaining item.

Hermione glared down at him, his hands in a relaxed position behind his head. How she wished to hurt him. Hermione had never wished ill on anyone —that is until she met Malfoy on the train last year, helping Neville Longbottom find Trevor, his lost toad. He'd taken one look at her and banished her from the cabin. He "_didn't want Mudblood all over his new robes._"

"Give me my wand," she demanded forcefully.

"If you get something you want, then I should get something I want."

Hermione gave him an exasperated look. "And what would that be?"

He looked at her with a smug face. "A kiss," he replied simply, his tone light, but his voice cool. Crabbe and Goyle were watching and snickering to themselves.

"And why in God's name would you want that from me?" Hermione asked, bewildered.

Draco shrugged. "Just to prove to myself and others that many girls want me, even the Mudbloods. They just won't be able to get me." He seemed pleased with himself, as though he was doing Hermione a great favor by allowing her to kiss him.

Hermione contemplated this. It was just a meaningless kiss and it would be her first. Plus she would get her wand back. And Draco wasn't _horrible _looking. On the other hand, she was tempted to go to Diagon Alley and get a new wand. But she wasn't allowed in Diagon Alley until break and they would have plenty of wand work before them. "Fine," she said rather stubbornly, kissing him harshly on the cheek then wiping her hand hastily across her lips.

"Nice try, Granger." He pulled her down on his out-stretched legs. He was shocked at how surprisingly light the girl was. He tapped her lips, telling her where he wanted the kiss.

Hermione sighed unhappily and leaned in, pressing her lips against his. They were surprisingly soft and warm. She could've pulled away after the first ten seconds, but she decided to stay a few seconds longer. Finally, she had to come up for air and inhaled deeply. He smelled different — good different. He smelled like new parchment, freshly mowed grass and was that — no! Spearmint toothpaste. She inauspiciously sniffed again, pretending to fall so that she could get a stronger whiff. He smelled so good. She absolutely loved it. Draco stood, now that he had gotten what he wanted and motioned for Crabbe and Goyle to leave first. He stayed under the pretense that he was returning her wand with a bit of harmless teasing and to them to go ahead.

He held the wand high above her head, seeing as he was a good several inches taller. "Come on, Granger. Bit out of your reach?"

Hermione just glared at him until he put her wand into her awaiting palm and went out the door. Hermione shoved her wand back down her boot and sat there in a stupor. Draco backtracked, leaned on the door frame and whispered, "Thanks for the kiss, "efore winking and taking off in the opposite direction of which he came.

Hermione sat quietly, her legs pulled up into a ball and her bushy hair drawn back into a ponytail, thinking about her kiss with the cockroach and how much she liked it.


End file.
